Container



Nov. 2, 1937.

L. P. LANSING CONTAINER Filed Nov. 12, 1934 lll lll-lll! I I I IWIgig/16 I I E2' .3 INVENTOR.

BY MVM/W ATTORNEYS YII-II of Figure 1; and

Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and is particularly adapted tocontainers equipped with cooling or other heat exchange apparatus.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved device in which aplurality of articles or pieces of material maybe supported.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device inwhich a plurality of objects may be independently supported in spacedrelation to each other.

Another Objectis to provide an improved device in Whichany one of aplurality of objects may easily be inserted and from which it may easilybe removed. Y A

Another object is to provide an improved device in which a plurality ofobjects may be maintained at a desired temperature. r

Another object is to provide an improved device in which a pluralityofobjects maybe maintained constantly in heat exchanging relation with atemperature controlling medium. j

Another object is to provide an improved device in which a plurality ofobjects may be constantly in heat exchanging relation with Vatemperature controlling medium and in which the .medium will beinsulated against heat exchange with the surrounding atmosphere. I p AAnother object is to provide an improved device which may readily beopened at any point to permit access to any desired article therein.

Another object is to provide an improved device which will be simple inconstruction.

Another object is to provide an improved device which may easily be keptclean.

Another object is to provide an improved/device which will be rugged inconstruction.

Another object is to provide an improved device which will be economicalin manufacture.

Other objects Will hereinafter appear. l

The invention will be better understood from the description of f oneVpractical embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing,in which;v p i Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pan embodying theinvention and adapted to the containing of squares or pats of butter; Y

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line Figure 3 is a plan Viewof parts of the apparatus of Figures l and 2;

The device illustrated consists of an outerbox or casing I which maybeofwood, metal or any other desired material, and which is preferablyprovided with a 1'iller'2v of heat insulating material such as cork,asbestos or any other desired type, and with aV metal liner 3 sealed atits upper edges of the margin of the 'outer box,

A duct or pipe 4 leads from the space within the metal liner to theexterior` of the device and is provided with a drain cock 5 by which theflow of liquid through vthe duct may be controlled.

Arranged to be removably placed within the interior of the parts abovedescribed is a panlike rectangular container or receptacle consisting ofan upper peripheral ange 6 provided with handles l, by which it may beremoved from or placed within the box, depending sides 8 and ends 9 anda bottom I0 all of which may conveniently be formed of an integral pieceof sheet metal.

The bottom of the pan has upwardly struck bosses I I, each provided witha central aperture, and arranged as shown most clearly in Figure 3 intwo lines I2 and I3 extending lengthwise of the pan and in four linesI4, I5, I6, and I'I extending crosswise thereof for a purpose to behereinafter described. It also has a plurality of perforations I8 whichare not formed in bosses.

Inserted in the pan are a plurality of supporting plates or traysconveniently formed of sheet metal and of stepped cross section. Theseare shown as consisting of narrow upperand lower edge flanges I9,shelf-like flanges 20 at right angles thereto, and longer backing orsupporting flanges 2| substantially parallel to the edge ilanges. Thesupporting plates or trays are placed within the pan in an inclinedposition, the upper flange I9 of the first tray resting against the end9 of the pan and the lower flange I9 resting against the'lrst pairof thebosses Il of either Aoi" the rows extendingA longitudinally of the pan,as seen at the left hand side of Figures 1 and 2, or crosswise as seenat the right hand of these gures. The next tray has its upper iiange I9bearing upon the rst plate adjacent the juncture of the uppermostsupporting ange 2| and shelf 29. It will be obvious now that thedistance between bosses is equal to that between trays when in theirclosest non-nested position.

The pan illustrated is twice as long interiorly as it is wide. Aremovable partition, consisting of a plate 22 having projecting lugs 23provided with pins 24, may be positioned within it to divide it into twosquare compartments, the pins entering holes formed in flange 6 of thepan. Alternatively, the partition may be removed and the trays stackedfrom end to end of the pan, or in two groups extending from side to sidethereof.

As soon as all the pieces B of butter are removed from one tray, thistray is turned over` and another is exposed.

The space beneath the bottom 9 of the pan and the liner 3 is filled withice and water, the level of the water being maintained at about orslightly above the tops of the bosses Il, in actual practice being fromone eighth to one quarter inch deep within the bottom of the pan. Thislevel may bereduced, when necessary, by opening the Stop cock 5.

It will be apparent that the surface of this water is exposed onlybetween the first lled tray and the last empty one, that is, for a spaceequivalent to that between centers of adjacent bosses ll, so thatrelatively little water surface is exposed for the transfer of heat.

It will also be apparent that as the lower edges of each of the traysextend into water, which is free to circulate through the openings inbosses l I and through openings I8 to the ice contained within the liner3, heat will be readily conducted from these trays to the ice,maintaining the trays and the pieces of butter supported bythern at alow temperature, only'slightly above freezing. The maintaining of thistemperature :is further aided by the cellular spaces provided by thetrays about the pieces of butter, and which prevent the `air fromcirculating about the latter and so de- Ycrease heat 4lossesdue toconvection.

'A largel quantity of butter can be prepared in advance of me'altimetandmaintained in a cool condition, while-instantly ready for use, effect-Ying a great saving in time in restaurants,

cafeteras etc. As the .trays of one pan are exhausted, this pan'may bequicklyand easily removed and replaced by another, conserving timeduring the period of the mealtirne rush.

The Ypan and trays arereadily accessible so that 'they may be easilyVwashed and maintained clean, vand are .of strong and easily fabricatedshapes.

"The trays may be easily and compactly nested for shipping or storage.

Whiley I have described the illustrated embodiment of my. invention insome particularity, obviously many others will readily occur to thoseskilled in this art, and I do not, therefore, limit myself to theprecise details. shown and de- .scribed but claim as my invention allembodiments, variations and modifications thereof coming within thescope of the appended claims. Y

. I claim:

. .1....A container comprising an outer casing having an open top and aspace therein containing a coolingymedium, an open topped receptacleWith- -in'said container. and .having a foraminous bottom submerged.insaid cooling medium, and a plurality of trays. movably positionedwithin said YAlast mentioned container, therebeing abutments ,.uponthebottom of said receptacle .engaged by the lower edges of said trays.

2. .A container comprising an open vtopped .quadrilateral receptacle, aplurality of abutments extending along the bottom thereof, a pluralityof. separate step-,shaped trayswithin the receptacle and having theirbottom edges supported against laterakmovement by said abutments, the

:interior width-of the receptacle being an integral multiple of thelength of said trays and the interior length ofthe receptacle being adifferent integralmultiple of the lengthv of said trays.

3. .A container comprising Van open topped quadrilateral receptacle, aplurality of abutments extending along the bottom thereof, a pluralityof separate step-shaped trays within the receptacle and having theirbottom edges supported against lateral movement by said abutments, the

Linterior width of the receptacle being an integral multiple of theylength of said trays and the interior length of the receptacle being adifferent integral multiple of thelength of said trays, and a removablepartition within said receptacledividing the interior of the receptacleinto compartments whose length and Width are integral multiples of thelength of the trays and locating means for said partition.

4. A container comprising an open topped quadrilateral receptacle, aplurality of abutments extending along the bottom thereof, a pluralityof separate step-'shaped trays `within the receptacle and havingtheir/bottom edges supported against lateral movement by said abutments,the interior width of the receptacle being an integral multiple of thelength of said trays and the interior length of the receptacle being adifferent integral multiple of the length of said trays and a partitionwithin said receptacle dividing' the interior of the receptacle intocompartments whose length and width are integral multiples of the lengthof vthe trays.

5. A container comprising an open topped casing, a filler of heatinsulating material therein, a water-tight liner within said ller,drainage means from the interior to the exterior of said casing,Valve'means associated therewith, a

y pan-like receptacle in said container and having apertured bosses inthe bottom thereof, and

a plurality of step-shaped trays angularly set within the receptacle'and having their lower edges abutting said bosses.

6.v A container. comprising an open-topped receptacle, a plurality ofseparate removable supporting trays angularlyV movable therein, eachtray being arranged to abut adjacent trays adjacent its top and betweensaid abutting portions and its bottom to provide with an adjacent trayan enclosed .article containing space, and formedwithin said space intoan article supportingsurface.

'7. A container comprising an open-topped receptacle having asubstantially horizontal bottom provided with a series of .abutments,anda plu- -rality of separate supporting trays adapted to rest againsteach 4other adjacent their upper edges, and to engage with vtheir loweredges said abutments, and formed intermediate said upper and lower edgesinto an article supporting surface.

Aand having a foraminous bottom through which said medium may penetrate,and a plurality of separate supporting trays angularly movable in saidreceptacle and arranged to each have an edge submerged in said medium.

10. A container comprising an open-topped receptacle having asubstantially horizontal bottom vprovided with a series of abutments, aplurality of separate supporting trays adapted to rest against eachother adjacent their upper edges .and to engage with their lower edgessaid abutments, saidy trays intermediate said upper and lower edgeslcomprising spaced substantially parallel surfaces, and meansmaintaining said trays in substantially parallel relationship with thetrays extending substantially from the top to the bottom of 'thereceptacle.

LOUIS P. LANSING.

